Musical wind instrument joint connection



March 1, 1966 L. LEBLANC 3,237,504

MUSICAL WIND INSTRUMENT JOINT CONNECTION Filed April 17, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 1, 1966 L. LEBLANC MUSICAL WIND INSTRUMENT JOINT CONNECTION Filed April 17, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent 3,237,504 MUSICAL WIND INSTRUMENT JOINT CONNECTION Leon Leblanc, Paris, France, 'assignors to G. Leblanc Corporation, Kenosha, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Filed Apr. 17, 1964, Ser. No. 360,692 11 Claims. (Cl. 84-382) This invention relates to the art of musical Wind instruments, and more particularly to an improved contrabass or contra-alto clarinet.

Contrabass and contra-alto clarinets heretofore have been multiply curved, comprised three spaced vertical body sections with the bell disposed adjacent to or above the mouth piece. This has resulted in rather complicated construction, particularly in the fabrication of the metal tubing and more particularly in the provision of keys, hole covers, and the various interconnecting levers therefore. This complicated construction has necessarily resulted in a relatively high priced instrument.

It is an object of this invention to provide a greatly simplified contrabass or contra-alto clarinet with no concomitant diminution of quality.

In accordance with the present invention, a contrabass or contra-alto clarinet is made with a two piece elongated body section with the two parts coaxial and having mounted directly thereon all of the keys, hole covers, operating levers, etc. This produces a rather long body, On the order of five feet or perhaps somewhat over counting the bell on the lower end thereof. Needless to say, rather considerable strength is needed in the joint between the two sections. The conventional metal slip joint, or a cork joint is entirely unsatisfactory.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved connection between two body sections of a contrabass or contra-alto clarinet.

More particularly, it is an object of this invention to provide a positive locking, but quick release connection between two joints of a musical Wind instrument.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a connection for the two sections or joints of a musical wind instrument having provision for guiding the joints into perfect alignment.

Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a contrabass clarinet constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view through the body of the instrument as taken substantially along the line 22 in FIGS. 1 and 3;

FIG 3 is an enlarged fragmentary side view of a portion of the instrument taken in the vicinity of the section line 22 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged side view of the instrument taken at an angle of about 120 relative to the view of FIG. 3; FIG. 5 is a side view of the upper joint of the instrument at the bottom portion thereof taken from a position between FIGS. 3 and 4;

FIG. 6 is a view corresponding to FIG. 5 and taken at substantially right angles thereto;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view corresponding to FIGS. 5 and 6;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary view partially in longitudinal section of the upper end of the lower joint of the instrument, corresponding to FIG. 5;

FIG. 9 is a view corresponding to FIG 8 and taken from the same direction as FIG. 6; and

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary perspective view corresponding to FIGS. 8 and 9.

A contrabass clarinet generally identified by the numeral 20 maybe seen in FIG. 1. This is a BBb contrabass clarinet. The clarinet is made of the usual metal alloy used for making metallic musical wind instruments and comprises a body 22 having an upper joint 24 and a lower joint 26 connected as hereinafter to be set forth. A metallic bell 27 is upturned at the bottom of the body, and is detachably connected thereto by the usual metal friction connection. The upper joint 24 has a depending reenterant portion 28 braced from the main portion of the joint by a brace 30, the reenterant portion being functionally integral with the main portion. The neck 32 is of generally conventional construction, being secured to the depending reenterant body portion 28 by means of a slip joint having a thumb screw take up 34, substantially in conformity with conventional practice. The mouth piece 36 is entirely convention in nature, and is received in the neck 32 by means of the usual cork joint.

Reference now should be made to FIGS. 2-l0 for an understanding of the connection between the joints. As will be understood, the length of the instrument and the weight thereof militate against the usual metallic slip joint connection, either a straight friction connection, or one with a circumferential or tangential take up screw. Accordingly, a postive connection is provided. At the bottom of the upper joint 24 a sleeve or cylinder 38 of slightly larger diameter overlaps the remainder of the upper joint and is soldered or brazed thereto. This sleeve is provided with an upper latch structure 40 comprising an arcuate place 42 secured to and conforming to the outer surface of the cylinder 38. The plate is bifurcated, being provided with a longitudinal notch 44 relieved at 46 at the outer edges and formed on a radius 48 at the inner end.

A stud 50 extends radially from the sleeve 38 and is provided with a pin 52 extending from its basal and through the plate 42 and into the sleeve to form a positive mechanical connection among the stud 50, the plate 42 and the sleeve. In addition, the stud, plate and sleeve are welded or brazed together. The stud is provided at its outer and end with a generally spherical head 54 fiattened slightly on the top face in the direction of the axis of the clarinet body. The head 54 is slotted at 56 in the direction of the clarinet body, with the slot opening radially of the body away therefrom.

The lower joint 26 has the same external and internal diameter as the upper joint 24, and fits smoothly within the sleeve 38, the upper end of the lower joint butting against the bottom end of the upper joint within the sleeve as indicated in dashed lines in FIG. 4. Spaced slightly downstream from the maximum depth of insertion of the lower joint within the sleeve 38 there is a radially extending post 58 forming part of a lower joint latch mechanism 60. The post is provided with an axially extending pin received in a complementary hole in the side of the lower joint as indicated at 62 in FIG. 8

3 for mechanical positioning and strength, and the post is additionally soldered or brazed to the lower joint. The outer end of the post is provided with a substantially Spherical head 64 having a slot 66 therein extending longitudinally of the body of the instrument. A threaded stud 68 is pivotally mounted in this slot by a cross pin 70 fixed in the head. A knurled hum nut 72 is threadedly received on the end of the stud 68.

When the lower joint of the clarinet is inserted within the sleeve 38, the post 58 is received in the slot 44 of the plate 42 of'the upper latch mechanism 40. The relieved shoulders 46 insure proper centralization of the post 58 in the slot. Upon complete insertion of the lower joint the post 58 is parallel to and spaced longitudinally of the instrument from the post or stud 50. The two joints thus are positively fixed against relative rotation. The threaded stud 68 then is pivoted from its uncoupled position as shown in FIGS. 810 up into the slot 56 in the head 54 of the upper post or stud 50, and the knurled nut 72 is turned down against the fiat upper face of the post or stud head 54, as best may be seen in FIGS. 3 and 4. This positively insures against any separation whatsoever of the upper and lower joints longitudinally of the body. The body of the clarinet is provided with the usual levers and keys for playing the instrument, preferably in accordance with the Boehm system. Most of these levers, keys, etc. are more or less conventional in nature, and need not be discussed herein.

A few of the levers are worthy of mention, since certain thereof extend between the upper and lower joints of the instrument. Thus the E-B auxiliary lever 74, the Fit-Cit auxiliary lever 76, and the FC auxiliary lever 78 extend between the joints on the front left side. Additionally, on the right side there is the upper and lower stack connection indicated rather generally at 80 in FIG. 2, and omitted from the remaining figures for simplicity, since the connection is the same as for the auxiliary levers. As will be observed, the pivot for the stack connection is on a line with that for the low B lever 82 and tone hole closing pad of the lower joint. All of the stack connection and auxiliary levers are of the usual hinge rod type, and details thereof need not be discussed at the present time.

All of the foregoing levers are interconnected in the same manner, and reference is made to the outer auxiliary lever, namely the E-B lever 74 by way of example. The hinge rod of this lever on the upper joint has an L-shaped link 82 soldered or brazed thereon in accordance with the usual practice, while the coaxial lower joint extensions, again labeled 74, is provided with a complementary L-shaped lever 84. One portion of each such lever extends longitudinally of the instrument as best seen in FIGS. 3, 4-6, 8 and 9, for example the portion 86 of the link 82, and the portion 88 of the link 84. The link portion 86 is provided with a recess 90 on the underside thereof, presenting an over arm 92 with a diagonal interface 94, the free end of which is farther from the body of the instrument than is the other end. Conversely, the link portion 38 has an under arm 96 having a diagonal outer surface 98 complementary to the diagonal undersurface 94. Hence, when the joints are pushed together longitudinally as guided by the post 58 and slot 44, the links on the lower joint slip smoothly beneath the links on the upper joint for eventual surface contact and coaction therewith.

A specific example of the present invention has now been set forth by way of illustration. Various changes in structure will no doubt occur to those skilled in the art, and will be understood as forming a part of the present invention, in so far as they fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. A musical wind instrument joint connection comprising a first body joint, a second body joint telescopable therewith, a lateral projection on one of said body joints,

means on the other of said body joints having a longitudinally opening slot therein receiving said projection upon telescoping of said two body joints relatively to guide and to restrain said body joints against relative rotation, and quick releasable means acting between said joints to resist longitudinal separation thereof.

2. A musical wind instrument joint connection comprising a first body joint, a second body joint telescopable therewith, a lateral projection on one of said joints, means on the other of said body joints having a longitudinally opening slot therein receiving said projection upon telescoping of said two joints relatively to guide and to restrain said body joints against rotation relative to one another, a projection on the other of said body joints an interfitting cooperable means on one of said projec tions operatively engageable and disengageable with the other of said projections, and means for tightening said member and the other of said projections longitudinally of said body joints.

3. A musical wind instrument joint connection comprising a first body joint, a second body joint telescopable therewith, a lateral projection on one of said joints, said projection including a post and a stud pivoted thereon, a similar and bifurcated post on the other of said body joints receiving said stud to restrain said joints against longitudinal separation, and means on said other joint having a longitudinally opening slot therein receiving the first mentioned post upon telescoping of said two joints relatively to guide and to restrain said body joints against relative rotation.

4. A musical wind instrument as set forth in claim 3 and further including means for exerting a force between said stud and the second mentioned post longitudinally of said body joints to hold said joints tightly together.

5. A musical wind instrument joint connection as set forth in claim 4 wherein the longitudinal force exerting means comprises threads on said stud and a nut threadedly received thereon.

6. A musical wind instrument joint connection as set forth in claim 4 wherein the means having the slot provides a tapered mouth for said slot facilitating alignment of said two joints rotationally.

7. A musical wind instrument joint connection comprising a first body joint, a second body joint telescopable therewith, a lateral projection on one of said joints, means on the other of said joints having a longitudinally opening slot therein receiving said projection upon telescoping of said two joints relatively to guide and restrain said joints against relative rotation, a projection on the other of said joints, a member mounted on one of said projections and cooperatively interfitting with the other thereof and having means for pulling said projections toward one another longitudinally of said body joints to hold said body joints tightly together, a plurality of cooperating levers on said first and second body joints detachably connected at the joint therebetween, the connections of said levers including confronting surfaces oblique relative to the axis of said body joints.

8. A musical wind instrument joint connection comprising a first body joint, a second body joint telescopable therewith, a lateral projection on one of said joints, a second lateral projection on the other of said joints, a member connected to one of said projections and detachably interfitting in cooperative relation with the other of said projections, and means associate-d with said member for drawing said projections toward one another longitudinally of said body joints to hold said body joints tightly in telescoped relation.

9. A musical wind instrument joint connection as set; forth in claim 8 wherein the projections comprise a pair of posts extending radially respectively from said joints, one of said posts being bifurcated, said member being pivotally connected to the other of said posts and pivotable into the bifurcation of said one post.

5 6 10. A musical wind instrument joint connection as set References Cited by the Examiner forth in claim 9 wherein the member comprises a threaded UNITED STATES PATENTS stud havlng a nut threaded thereon for tlghtening against 2,061,928 11/1936 Albrecht 84 380 X the 2,821,102 1/1958 Leblanc 84 3s2 '11. A musical wind lnstrument oint connection as 5 set forth in claim 1 wherein the quick releasable means FOREIGN PATENTS engages the lateral projection and the slot providing means 623,268 8/ 49 Gre t Britain.

and a ts h w n- LEO SMILOW, Primary Examiner. 

1. A MUSICAL WIND INSTRUMENT JOINT CONNECTION COMPRISING A FIRST BODY JOINT, A SECOND BODY JOINT TELESCOPABLE THEREWITH, A LATERAL PROJECTION ON ONE OF SAID BODY JOINTS, MEANS ON THE OTHER OF SAID BODY JOINTS HAVING A LONGITUDINALLY OPENING SLOT THEREIN RECEIVING SAID PROJECTION UPON TELESCOPING OF SAID TWO BODY JOINTS RELATIVELY TO GUIDE AND TO RESTRAIN SAID BODY JOINTS AGAINST RELATIVE RO- 